


Not a Creature Was Stirring

by zebraljb



Series: 2019 Advent Ficlet Challenge [14]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Christmas, Family, M/M, POV Animal, Pets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-25 06:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21791521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zebraljb/pseuds/zebraljb
Summary: JB makes sure his family is safe in a strange place on Christmas Eve.You read that right. Animal POV.
Relationships: Harry Hart | Galahad/Merlin, JB & Gary "Eggsy" Unwin
Series: 2019 Advent Ficlet Challenge [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1560508
Comments: 13
Kudos: 81
Collections: 2019 Advent Ficlet Challenge





	Not a Creature Was Stirring

**Author's Note:**

> Advent Prompt # 14 - Not a Creature Was Stirring

NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING

JB likes routine.

He likes the order of his day…every day. No changes, no alteration. Dad-E gets him up and takes him out, then feeds him. Then Dad-E goes up to wash himself in the big rain room while JB does inventory of his toys and chews on the ones that look lonely. Sometimes he chews on them outside the big rain room and Dad-E gets mad because he steps on them. “Fuck, JB, that’s disgusting!” Dad-E yells, but then he gives JB pets and apologizes.

This is the one part of his day that slightly deviates from routine, but that’s fine. Usually Dad-E goes off to work, turning the telly to Animal Planet and making sure JB’s water dish is full. Sometimes he stays home, which is the best, because when he’s done Doing Fucking Chores (Dad-E always says that) they snuggle on the sofa and take a nap. After work Dad-E brings food home, or makes things that smell good in the kitchen, and then they end up on the sofa again.

Life is good for JB. He has his Dad-E, he has Dad-E’s Flower, he has Dad-E’s Mum. And then suddenly he’s whisked away to nowhere.

The road to nowhere is scary. They’re in the Car, a place JB doesn’t like because it makes his stomach hurt. He whimpers and pulls against the harness holding him in place. “Just a few more hours, JB, swear down,” Dad-E says. He reaches back for JB to sniff his hand but he ignores him. Dad-E knows better than to take JB in the Car. The Car usually goes to the place with the weird smells and the shots. “You’ll have fun. Lots of room to run around…Daisy will be there, and Uncle Merlin.”

JB’s head pops up. He likes Uncle Merlin. Uncle Merlin smells like family, and lets JB sleep on his feet. And if Uncle Merlin is there, Uncle Harry will be, too…and he sneaks JB treats under the table when Dad-E isn’t looking. Plus Daisy, Dad-E’s Flower, gives the best ear scritches.

So JB does his best not to bring up his breakfast and soon dozes off on the backseat.

Before he knows it the rumble of the Car stops and they’re no longer moving. “Rise and shine, sleepyhead!” Dad-E says, and then he gets out of the Car. JB whimpers. Dad-E is out of the Car. JB is in the Car. Dad-E is gone forever, away in nowhere. JB wiggles in his harness, crying as loud as he can. Then he hears a familiar voice and settles ever so slightly. He keeps crying, however; Dad-E needs to know how unhappy JB is with the situation.

“Well, Mr. Bauer, you got Eggsy here in one piece.” The Car door opens, his harness is unclipped, and Uncle Harry picks him up. “Quite a trip for such a young man, isn’t it?” Uncle Harry clips a leash on him and walks away from the Car. “Take care of Eggsy’s bags, would you, Hamish?”

“I’m not a bloody porter,” Uncle Merlin growls, but he goes to the back of the Car.

Uncle Harry is nice. He understands that JB has to investigate the area before he can do his business. This is a strange place. Lots of grass, lots of trees. A giant house with lights in the windows. Another Car comes toward them and JB barks. No Car is going to hurt his Uncle Harry.

“Hush, JB, it’s Mum and Daisy,” Dad-E tells him, and JB goes back to sniffing.

JB doesn’t like the house. All the people like it. Uncle Merlin and Uncle Harry stand by the door to greet Dad-E’s Mum and Daisy and Dad-E. Daisy runs around shouting and JB chases her until Mum tells her not to run inside. JB sits down and thinks about that. Where else can you run? You’re inside more than you’re outside. And there’s so much to worry about. Big things for sitting, and a fire, and a ticking monster that makes loud noises. JB barks at everything that looks dangerous until Dad-E picks him up. “Swear down, JB, I shoulda left you at home.”

“It’s not his fault, Eggsy. This is a big scary place for a little dog,” Uncle Harry says, giving him a quick pet.

“JB can sleep with me,” Daisy announces. “If he gets scared I’ll look after him.”

“That’s my girl,” Dad-E says, and JB licks his face.

They look around the house and then JB plants himself by the door. He’s ready to leave. This is NOT the place for them. He can’t keep everyone safe in such a big house. How in the world can he warn them of danger? There’s a large staircase with high steps. He can’t manage those. He lays down in front of the door and whimpers.

His people seem to forget about him. He hears Dad-E say something about Christmas, and how the getaway to this lovely house is such a wonderful gift. He thanks Uncle Harry and Uncle Merlin and JB sniffs. Traitors. Daisy asks if Santa will find them there and Mum promises he will. Great. ANOTHER person. JB’s routine is shattered and he doesn’t like it.

“What are ye doing out here, my little man?” Uncle Merlin strides down the hall and towers over him. “Don’t ye like us anymore?” JB puts his head on his paws. “Come along.” JB doesn’t move. Uncle Merlin sighs. He always yells at Uncle Harry for carrying JB around and refuses to do it himself. “There’s chicken in the kitchen,” Uncle Merlin says, and JB’s ears perk up. Chicken. He likes chicken. He huffs a sigh and slowly gets up, stretching and taking his good old time before trotting down the hall. He’s not forgiven Uncle Merlin quite yet…it’s his fault they’re here and not at home.

Before he knows it they’re going upstairs to bed. He frowns at the steps but doesn’t have to worry, Dad-E picks him up immediately. “Big steps for such little legs, bruv,” Dad-E says. He carries him into a room with a big bed. 

“Steps!” Daisy says with delight, even though she doesn’t need them. She climbs into the giant bed and gets under the covers. JB curls up next to her and Dad-E’s Mum reads them a story. Dad-E’s Mum kisses them, even JB, and leaves the room, turning out the light as she goes. Daisy lays quietly for a moment, and then says, “I’m scared, JB. This is a big scary house.”

JB licks her hand. Finally…someone else gets it. He licks her hand and cuddles even closer. He’ll protect Dad-E’s Flower. Daisy whispers to him a bit before finally falling asleep. JB stays awake. Nothing will get the Flower while he’s there to look after her. 

He realizes that while the Flower is safe, Dad-E’s Mum is not. It’s JB’s job to protect people, just like Dad-E. He heard Uncle Harry say that once. He said that Dad-E’s job is hard, but he does it well because he cares so much about the people he saves. JB cares about his people. About the Flower, and Dad-E’s Mum, and Uncle Harry, and Uncle Merlin. And of course Dad-E. He cares about him most of all.

JB carefully picks his way down the steps by the bed and click-clacks out of the room. The house makes strange noises, even though his people are quiet. He trots to the next door and sniffs. Dad-E. He goes into the room and looks up at the bed. Far too high, and no steps. But Dad-E is making that loud wheezing noise that means he’s asleep, so JB leaves the room. He then finds Dad-E’s Mum…she has a weird smell that makes him sneeze a lot of the time. She doesn’t have it while she’s sleeping, but he can smell it on her clothes. He trots around the bed and also looks under it. Nothing. Dad-E’s Mum is safe. 

He finds two empty rooms before discovering Uncle Merlin and Uncle Harry. But they’re not sleeping, so he hovers in the doorway. “No, Hamish.” Uncle Harry slaps Uncle Merlin’s hands. “People are right down the hall.”

“They’re asleep…perhaps ye need to learn to be a bit quieter in bed.” He puts his hands on Uncle Harry, who slaps him again. JB growls. He can’t help it. No one touches Uncle Harry if he doesn’t like it, not even Uncle Merlin.

“Well well…it looks like ye have a little bodyguard, Harry.” Merlin smiles down at JB and gets off the bed.

“Protecting my virtue, are you, Mr. Bauer?” Uncle Harry gets up as well. 

“I thought ye were to be sleeping with Daisy, little man.” Uncle Merlin actually picks him up and cuddles him close. “I will return ye to your post.” Uncle Merlin leaves the room and heads back down the hall. “Checking everything out, were ye? A good soldier, doing your job.” Uncle Merlin shocks JB by kissing his head. “Thank ye for looking after us. Good boy.” He tiptoes into Daisy’s room and deposits JB on the bed. Daisy rolls over in her sleep and pulls him close. “Sweet dreams to ye both.”

JB watches Uncle Merlin leave the room, and then lets out a tired sigh. The house is quiet, the Flower is sleeping, and JB is a good boy.


End file.
